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Caroline Adelaarcaroline.adelaar@stmary.co.zaSt Mary’s SchoolJohannesburgGautengTrees4AfricaGrade two girls initiated a Smithsonian tree growth data collection project and collaborated with other African schools to create a Trees4Africa Wikispace. The wiki will be used to generate collaborative presentations integrating ICT skills, movement and music. These will be filmed and used a community outreach project to encourage sapling planting.

The Microsoft Learning Suite is jam-packed with free tools and content such as Mouse Mischief, AutoCollage, Movie Maker, Microsoft MathsandSong Smith that will excite your learners and make your lessons more engaging. On the Pil-network you can get the tools + tutorials + you can see how other teachers have used them in their learning activities

Uploading an activity_to_the_pil_network

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If you have not yet joined thePartners in Learning Network– Join and sign inwww.pil-network.com

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Uploading a Learning Activity is one half ofapplying to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator:ExpertAt www.pil-network.com you willneed to:• Upload a Learning Activity(which includes a two minutevideo that you have madedescribing your LearningActivity)• Complete the MicrosoftInnovative Educator – ExpertApplicationYou can do these steps in any order – but you will need to do both to be eligible to wina trip to the SchoolNet conference (closing date 3 June 2013) or Global Partners inLearning Forum (closing date 30 September 2013)

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What is a Learning Activity?Can be a simple activity run over one ormore lessons that makes use of onetool.Example: Hafeeza Mayet - TessellationsCan be a project based learning activitythat incorporates a number of tasksusing multiple tools done over a longerperiod of time.Example: Caroline Adelaar and KendraSmith – “Trees for Africa”

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What information needs to beprovided in my Learning Activity?Title – think descriptive yet catchyThree objectives – what are you trying todo?Description – how would you describeyour lesson in a lift?Select: “I have been invited to present…”Author and Co-authorWhat tools have been used? – thinkcareful selection for sound purpose ratherthan quantityKeywords - help others find your activityWhat hardware is required? – what wouldbe needed to replicate your activity?Learner Age and Subject

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Which 21st Century Skills has your Learning Activity developed?Collaboration – learners worked together to create acommon product or achieve a common goal. They sharedresponsibility and made substantive (meaningful) decisionstogether.Global Awareness & Civic Literacy – beyond theclassroom for community benefit.Knowledge-building and Critical Thinking – learnersuse higher-order thinking skills to build understandings that arenew to them - interpretation, analysis, synthesis andevaluation.Student self-assessment – learners planed and assessedtheir own work; took responsibility for assigning roles; activitylasted more than a week.Communication – learners produced well developed,coherent organised texts (written or using other mediums) thatprovide evidence to support caseICT for Learning – technology was used not just forproductivity but to achieve learning goals and to acquire skillsand knowledge. Impossible without ICT.Problem solving and innovation (creativity) –challenged to address authentic real-world problem andimplemented solutionWhen you select supportingdocuments and talk aboutyour Learning Activity in yourvideo emphasise how youractivity built these skills.Highlight these in yourdescription. Use the buzz-words!

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Coming up with an idea for yourLearning Activity – or maximisingwhat you already have…• What topics will you be teaching anyway?• How could you incorporate some ICT for learning into your existinglessons on this topic?• How could you make the learning activity collaborative?• How can you help your learners to construct knowledge around yourtopic?• Can you set up the learning activity to allow for self-regulation?• Can you think of an activity where learners will produce an example ofskilled communication?• Could your learners address a real-world problem related to your topic?

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What instructional approach?• Be sure to describe inyour supportingdocuments anddescription.• Use some of the buzzwords here!Direct instruction – lecture-style,teacher driven (not recommended!)Project based learning – learners aregiven authentic learning activities thatengage interest and motivationIndependent study – learners plantheir own projects and work on theseon their own or in small groups.Personalized learning – learnerscomplete different activities suited totheir individual learning styles,interests and skills.Other – another approach not listedhere.

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The 2-minute video• Create a video that describes your Learning Activity• Upload it to YouTube• Share the URL• The judges will stop watching at 2-minutes.• The video can be as simple as youtalking about your project for two-minutes – filmed with a cell phone• Or you can put in pictures, captions,clips of learners, special effectsusing Windows Live Movie Makeretc.• Use some of the buzz-words.• Practice on a friend.• Plan what you are going to say.• Speak with passion, expression andenthusiasm!

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Share photos and other videos –provide some evidenceWe want to see: your learning environment,evidence of learners doing activity, examples ofproducts• Put all photos in one folder ondesktop to make it easy to findwhen you are uploading• Think upload challenges – best 10photos – maximum 6MBs• Show variety of images – not lotsof pictures of similar things.

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12Once you are happy – submitand shareSave often! Get all your bits togetherbefore you start.Check all the components are therebefore you hit submit.Make allowance for upload challenges!Once you have submitted your LearningActivity will go into the queue – and willbe available in 48 hours. (Upload by duedate)Share your activity – send the link toyour friends and encourage them to“Like” it.Copy the link to your Learning Activityinto the comments box of the 2013South Africa and Lesotho Partners in

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13Next steps, links and contacts:• www.schoolnet.org.za• www.pil-network.com• megan@schoolnet.org.za for infoabout the competition• fiona@schoolnet.org.za for webinarsand online supportTo apply to be a Microsoft InnovativeEducator: Expert you will need to goto www.pil-network.com to:• Upload a Learning Activity(including 2 minute video)• Complete the MicrosoftInnovative Educator – ExpertApplication• Do this by 3 June 2013 if youwant to win a trip toBloemfontein for the ICT in theClassroom Conference• 30 September 2013 is your lastchance to apply to be aMicrosoft Innovative Educator:Expert